


Olicity Diary: The moments that mattered

by Olicitynowplease (sgcreations)



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-09
Updated: 2015-05-10
Packaged: 2018-03-11 10:12:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3323687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sgcreations/pseuds/Olicitynowplease
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"life isn't about your final moments. It's about the moments that led up to them" (Stefan Salvatore), these are the moments that matter, the moments Oliver Queen and Felicity Smoak realized they loved each other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. When Felicity was shot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was't until Felicity was shot Oliver realised he could not live without her and he would do anything to save her.

Felicity was in hospital… critical condition… too much blood loss… Oliver’s mind processed the information in fragments, refusing to believe what the doctor was telling him. She wasn’t supposed to be working tonight, he’d made sure she was nowhere near it when everything went down. How… How did she get hurt? He felt Diggle’s hand on his shoulder pulling him back, he had to focus. He had to find out why the woman he loved had been shot again.  
He took the bottle of water Roy held out for him, his hands covered in her blood. It was wrong all wrong. He’d gone to her apartment to check on her, he couldn’t remember why only that he had to see her. He’d known something was wrong as soon as he pulled up. It was as if his mind had disconnected from his body as he ran to her door that looked as if it had been kicked open. And there she was bleeding out on her living room floor. The rest was a blur, one second he was kneeling besides her trying to stop the bleeding, the next he was sitting in the hospital waiting room with a doctor telling him she wasn’t out of the wood yet. He could kill a man with his bare hands, he could shoot arrows and catch bad guys, he could take on Slade Wilson and survive a dual with Ra’s al Ghul but he couldn’t save her.  
Wetting the tissues he methodically wiped her blood off of his hands, he needed to focus. “What do we know?” Diggle spoke first, nodding his head as if he understood his need to do something, anything. “Lyla’s down at the cave, she looked over the footage of Felicity’s apartment… you’re not going to like this…”  
“Tell me” Oliver watched his best friend exchange a quick look with Roy, and in that moment he knew. He knew why he wouldn’t like the answer. He knew why they were worried he would do something rash. “Palmer” He could feel the arrow showing through the cracks of the mask that was Oliver Queen. “They wanted something of Palmer’s… some kind of suit. Felicity you know what she's like, she wouldn’t tell them what they wanted. There was a struggle and Felicity…” Felicity ended up with a bullet in her.  
Both Diggle and Roy had tried to talk him out of it, but he wasn’t in the mood to listen. When they realised he could not be convinced otherwise they decided to come along, he wasn’t sure if it was to stop him or help him. When the lift doors open they revealed a flurry of activity, he walked through the crowds of employees and police to the conference room where he knew he’d find him.  
There he was talking with Lance. As he approached Palmer looked up, “Look Queen I…” he didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence. Oliver had his hand wrapped around his throat, slamming him onto the conference table. Nobody interfered too shocked to do so, and those who would have looked from Diggle to Roy who stood in their way. Leaning in close so no one else could hear he let his voice deepen, allowing the promise of pain and death leak through. “If anything happens to Felicity because of you. I. Will. Kill. You. Do you understand?” Oliver didn’t wait for an answer he saw it in the man’s eyes. He walked out of the now deathly silent room with Diggle and Roy on either side of him. Nobody tried to stop them.  
Lance waited until Queen and his friends were in the lifts before telling everyone to get back to work. “You alright Mr. Palmer?” The man nodded in response, massaging his neck as he straightened himself. Lance knew he should have stopped Queen or at the very least reprimanded to man but he would have been lying if he said he hadn’t been thinking about doing the same thing since he found out why Miss Smoak had been hurt. But as a cop he felt like it was his duty to warn the man, “I think Queen is the least of your worries Mr Palmer.” Because when the Arrow found out what had happened - that was if he didn’t already know - Mr Palmer was going to learn the real meaning of being afraid.  
Ray watched from just outside the hospital room, Oliver Queen sat beside Felicity’s bed, his eyes closed but her hand in his. After Queen had threatened him, he’d left the commotion to go to his office for some peace. There he’d found the Arrow waiting for him, with his accomplice. He was ashamed to say it had only taken two well placed arrows for the truth to be revealed, that the men who had hurt felicity had been after the suit. He’d received a call from one of the men, if he didn’t give them what they wanted they’d have the man standing by in the hospital finish the job. That was when the plan had formed.  
He’d met them where they had told him, bringing the suit with him, expect he didn’t go alone. Within moments the fight was over, with the men unconscious with at least one arrow in them and tied up. Palmer waited until the police showed up before he made his way to the hospital to find Felicity safe and not alone.  
He turned away from the sight to find Queen’s bodyguard if he’d heard right watching him. His arms folded in front of him, “Can you tell her I’m sorry.” He didn’t wait for the man’s answer, he needed to leave, to escape not only the guilt but to his surprise heartbreak.  
Felicity felt as if her entire body was in pain, why was she in pain? Where was she? It took a while for her eyes to open, looking around she found she was in a hospital bed and not at all alone. Slowly the memory of being attacked and shot came back to her. Looking around again she could not help but smile, tears threatening to spill. Oliver sat on one of the chairs beside her bed, with her hand in his. Lyla, Diggle and baby Sara cramped in another on her other side. Roy sat by the window on the floor, with her head leaning back against the wall, sometimes she forgot how young he was. Thea sat at the foot of her bed watching Roy, a sad smile on her face. Captain Lance and Laurel stood by the door talking in hushed tones. To her surprise even her mother was there sitting in a chair that looked as if it had been dragged from the waiting rooms.  
She must have made a noise because suddenly there he was standing over her with his hand on her cheek, a look of relief on his face. Slowly the others moved to the bed, squeezing her hand and making her promise not to worry them like that again. As if she’d asked to be shot. Luckily she was on too many drugs and feeling to loved to be snappy, instead she nodded her head like a good girl and promised to try and stay out of situations that would result in her getting shot.  
One by one they all left, leaving only Oliver and her. He looked at her differently, as if he’d just realised something important. She wanted to ask him about it but she could feel consciousness eluding her. She watched him move his chair closer, take her hand back in hers, closing his own eyes. Content, he looked content, which was her last thought before she gave in and closed her own eyes, sinking back into the comforting darkness of sleep.


	2. Felicity's Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felicity's date interrupted... by none other than Oliver Queen

For what felt like the hundredth time Felicity read the two words she hated the most in the world: Access Denied.

“Any luck?”

“Dig, is my fist in the air?” Instead of answering he raised his hands as if in surrender and turned back to Oliver who was in the middle of his ‘fantasy inducing’ as Felicity liked to call them, work outs. Felicity tried to sneak in a few looks unnoticed but which Diggle’s hawk like gaze on her she was more than unsuccessful if his smug all knowing smile was anything to go by.

Finishing off the last of his exercise Oliver joined Felicity in front of the monitor. He watched her tap away at the keyboard, frustration marring her usual cheerful impish features. When once again the words access denied slashed across the screen, he placed his hand on her shoulder stopping her from smashing the keyboard again. With the loss of his company he really couldn’t afford to replace the equipment she insisted they needed. “Felicity, we’ll try again tomorrow. Do you need a ride home?”

“NO! I mean no, I’ll be fine,” Oliver raised an eyebrow at her response which had come far too quickly and guiltily for his liking. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, why wouldn’t I be fine? Everything’s fine. I just said fine three times in a sentence, I know to you that might mean I’m not fine – see there again I said fine – but I am fine, I really need to stop saying fine.”

Oliver couldn’t help the small smile that softened his features, he never could when as she called it started babbling. Shaking his head he left his friends behind, heading for the door, after all he had a date tonight.

Felicity waited until she heard the click of the door before she let out the breath she’d been holding, twirling in her chair she came to face Diggle, his eyebrows raised in question. “So are you going to tell me what that was about and why you’ve been checking the time waiting for him to leave for the past two hours or do I have to guess?”

 Felicity debated denying his accusations but they both knew it was no use, he read her too well and if he thought she was in trouble she’d only end up with him outside her house keeping guard and she was out of coco. “I… Have a date”

“And you didn’t want Oliver to know to know about this because…”

“Because the last time a guy liked me he dug up his past and chased him away.”

“He did bring him back”

“After I made him feel guilty about it”

“He was just trying to protect you”

“I can protect myself, besides we both know out of all of us if anyone can dig into and reveal someone’s secrets it’s me. And if I don’t leave now I’m going to be late. I’ve put the laptop through a programme, call if anything changes.” Pushing away from the desk she stood up and shrugged into her long navy jacket, tying the belt firmly she picked up her purse and tablet ready to leave, “please don’t tell Oliver.”

“I won’t unless he asks.”

“Goodnight dig, tell Lyla I said hi and that I am expecting to be asked to be a godparent soon.”

“I will, but you’re going to have to get in line, Deadshot asked yesterday.”

“You’re not actually considering it?!”

“Of course not, have fun on your date, but if you need me call.” Smiling she leaned forward brushing a chaste kiss on his cheek before leaving. She had a date to get ready for.

Felicity scanned the room, looking for her date; she couldn't help but smile when her eyes landed on him. He wasn't as ruggedly handsome and well defined as a certain former billionaire that seemed to take up far too much of her time and thoughts but he was handsome in a charming way and intelligent to boot. He had thick mahogany hair, the type you'd want to run your hands through and piercing green eyes and his gaze was focused on her.

David watched felicity walk across the restaurant floor guided by one of the waiters who couldn't keep his eyes off of her, not that he blamed them. She'd untied her hair, her curly blonde locks framing her innocent face. She was dressed in a beautiful sleeveless navy blue dress that revealed her back and flared at the hips stopping short just above her knees. Black embroidery decorated the neck and hem; she wore no jewellery with the exception of a silver necklace with an arrow pendant, no doubt due to the infuriating vigilante who patrolled the city. She dressed simply but elegantly, standing as she approached he moved around the table and pulled out her chair before the waiter had a chance. Once seated he moved to his side of the table and took his place, a single white candle between them. "You look beautiful Miss Smoak"

A red tinge coloured her cheeks as she looked down, "you don't clean up half bad yourself Mr Coleman"

"David, call me David"

"Only if you call me felicity"

"It would be my pleasure" David watched in delight as her cheeks reddened even more, he couldn't remember the last time he had enjoyed a date.

Oliver ran across the parking lot and into the restaurant foyer, he was late... Again. Looking round he came face to face with laurels disapproving gaze, she was dressed in a long red tight fitting red dress that left little to the imagination, with a slip that he was sure much higher than decent exposure allowed. "You're late Ollie"

"I'm sorry you know I can't help it" refusing to give her a chance to scold him further he leaned forward, kissing any complaints she might have away. Placing his hand on her back he guided her into the restaurant.

Sitting across from laurel he looked down at his menus as she began talking about one of her cases at the DAs office, as he nodded along in response he heard a familiar voice amongst the evening crowd. Looking up from his menu he searched the crowd for the sound, he could not mask to shock he felt when his gaze collided with a much too familiar figure that had left not long ago. Sensing her date was distracted laurel looked up to find Oliver's gaze locked elsewhere completely oblivious to her and her story. Following his direction she looked over her shoulder. Not two tables away was Felicity Smoak with a young man who looked as if he had never laughed so much in his life. "Hey its Felicity, I didn't know she was seeing someone"

"Neither did I" for a second laurel thought she saw hurt on his face, but the expression was gone as fast as it had appeared, shaking her head she looked back at her menu, "ready to order?" She asked, but Oliver did not reply instead she found him with his phone in his hand texting someone.

Felicity took another sip of her favourite red wine as she listened to David talk about his adventures at Oxford. Hearing the buzz of her phone she looked down at the screen, she knew it was rude but in the business she was in she couldn't go offline not even for a date.

Oliver: have you managed to access the information on the laptop yet?

Felicity: no I'm running it through a programme, hopefully we’ll find out the location of the next robbery in a few hours.

She replied before putting the phone face down on the table top, though he had noticed her on her phone he didn't say a word continuing with his story instead.

Oliver let out a frustrated growl as he read her text for the third time. A group of military trained thieves had been targeting rich families for the past few days and they had been unable to find a pattern or clue. Until yesterday evening when they'd found their base of operation and recovered one of their laptops. And instead of unlocking it she was enjoying herself having dinner with some guy who looked like he was barely out of college. He did not understand her interest in guys who looked like they were barely legal enough to drink. "What's wrong Ollie, you've barely touched your food" laurel focused on him her eyes scrutinising every reaction and movement. "Nothing just these robberies, we haven't found a link between them and while we're looking they're becoming more violent"

"I heard about them, could the link be that they're all rich, the motive doesn't always have to be so complex"

"Felicity thinks there's a better connection, she just hasn't figured it out yet" laurel looked away not wanting him to see the sting of his disregard of her opinion, not that it mattered as his gaze returned to Felicity. "Oliver she's on a date, speaking of dates so are we so can we get back to it?"

"Sorry, it’s just that she never told me about it, I don't know who this guy is, he could be a criminal for all she knows."

"And for all you know he's a perfectly nice guy, who happens to enjoy Felicity's company. Now can you stop looking at him as if you'd like nothing better than to stick one of your arrows into him and get back to dinner?"

"Yes sorry"

For some reason Felicity couldn't shake the feeling someone was watching her, not the creepy stalker watching but more of that of a guardian or old friend trying up grab her attention. Trying to ignore it she turned back to David who was telling her about his job as a security consultant with ace securities starling cities top home security firm. "So what's it like to work for the billionaire playboy Mr Queen" felicity smiled in response but she felt a twinge of anger in the way he described Oliver. She decided not to correct him on the billionaire part; they were still working on that. "It's... Interesting" she never did like or know how to answer that question. "How did you manage to become his assistant?"

"I researched a few things for him before he became CEO; he thought my work was... Remarkable and hired me, sorry no illicit story behind my promotion" felicity could not help but smile to herself as she recalled Oliver's less that subtle excuses to garner her help. Deciding the conversation was going in a dangerous direction she decided to divert his attention to a safer topic.

Though he nodded and remarked along as Laurel spoke he kept an eye on Felicity, there was something about the guy she was with that he didn't quiet trust. Perhaps he should have texted Diggle to do a background check he mused. As if summonsed by his thoughts his phone began to ring, Johns name flashed across his screen. As usual they did not bother with greetings. "We have the location; they hit it in three hour"

"I'll meet you at the lair in twenty"

"I’ll phone felicity"

"That won't be necessary, what with her sitting a few tables away from me on a date" Diggle could not help but cringe at the way he said the word date, he knew both of them would be hearing about this soon.

Oliver turned to Laurel an apology on his tongue, "I know, go" she sighed calling over the waiter for the cheque. Quickly paying the man Oliver stood up, but instead of heading for the exit he stalked over to Felicity's table.

Seeing the commanding figure behind her date, felicity quickly stood up, spilling her wine in the process, groaning at her clumsiness she tried to clean up the mess as effectively as she could, avoiding the glowering gaze boring into her. Bracing herself she looked up at him, he had no reason to look disapproving and she had no reason to feel guilty.

David had also stood from his seat, coming to stand just besides Oliver; though he was in fact an inch or two taller than him Oliver's presence had a way of dwarfing him. Ignoring him Oliver kept his eyes fixed on her, looking over his shoulder she saw an apologetic Laurel trying to nudge him away, but her efforts were futile.

"I need you back at the office"

"Why?" For a second he did not answer, looking at David and then back at her, of course she knew why but he deserves a little discomfort. "My computer froze" he finally answered.

"Why did you spill a latte on it" her arms were crossed in front of her chest her head tilted slightly to the side as she waited for an answer, an ever so slight smile on her lips. As if stopping himself from saying what he truly wanted to Oliver gritted his teeth, "uh huh"

David cleared his throat trying to gain the man’s attention, when his brooding eyes turned on him for a second he wished he had stayed silent. "David Coleman,"

"Oliver Queen" Oliver grasped his hand in a not so gentle grip, Felicity watched in horror as his face blanched, when his hand was finally returned to him he shook it trying to move past the pain. Felicity looked daggers at Oliver; he looked back at her innocently as if he hadn't just tried to break her date’s hand. "That's quite a grip you have there Mr. Queen. If its computer problems you're having perhaps I should have a look, after all I work with computers every day"

"There's no need I'm sure Miss Smoak is more than capable of taking care of the problem she did graduate from MIT as she likes reminding me"

"You graduated from MIT?!"Felicity ignored the smug smile on Oliver's face as she returned her attention to her date, "yes"

"Then why are you working as an assistant? You should be working for some high tech company or the government" felicity sighed wistfully; she would if she didn't spend so much time hacking into said places. "You know David I ask myself that every day", tiring if their conversation Oliver grabbed Felicity's coat in his left arm her elbow in his right and started pulling her away from the table, "I'll call you..." Felicity thought she heard Oliver reply, don't bother under his breath but she wasn't sure and part of her was too furious to ask. Once they were outside Felicity pulled her arm from his grip and turned to Laurel, dismissing him. "Hi Laurel sorry your date was ruined"

"I should be the one apologising about your ruined date; he was quiet cute and those eyes..."

"I know..." Felicity smiled dreamily to herself, "if you too are done, Felicity we need to go" she stared at the helmet he placed in her hands, "you cannot be serious"

"Felicity we don't have time"

"Fine" still angry she placed the helmet over her head and took a seat behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist. She tried to ignore the sliver of excitement that ran through her. Before she had a chance to brace herself or say goodbye to Laurel they were off.

Oliver raced through the streets; Felicity practically wrapped around him her head resting on his back. He smiled as he heard her panicked voice, reassuring herself everything would be fine. He increased his speed more than he knew he should have, and in response she inched closer to him until there was not even a breath of space between them.

All too soon the ride was over, and they found themselves at the foundry. While felicity took her seat Oliver moved away to put on his suit and grab his bow. "There are three possible targets I've already dispatched detective lance to one of them if you and Dig take the other two we’ll have them all covered."

Oliver arrived at the location in time to watch the last of the thieves enter the house, no alarms blared, the inhabitants completely unaware of the danger they were in. Sneaking inside Oliver dispatched the first two on the ground floor, an arrow through their shoulders and legs. He made his way up the stairs his now ready to fire. He had one of the men incapacitated before the others even saw him. He took cover behind the big mahogany desk, as they opened fire on him, he heard Felicity's gasp of surprise in his ear. Waiting for a break in their attack, he stood, fired his arrow and was shielded within seconds. The last man realising his disadvantage left his loot behind and was out of the door running for the exit. Oliver ran after him, but he wasn't fast enough, the man was in the van and off before Oliver had a chance to start his bike. Losing him in the traffic, Oliver pressed down on his communicator, "Talk to me felicity"

"Take the next right and the alley on the left" following her directions he found himself ahead of the van on the open road, talking out the front wheels the van came to a tumbling stop. Dragging the wounded man out he tied him up for the cops, no doubt Felicity had already contacted detective lance

Felicity twirled around to watch Oliver and Diggle return, grabbing the first aid kit she vacated her seat for Oliver and began cleaning and bandaging his wounds as she spoke, "I looked into the men you took down, all of them have a record but not the skills to hack into the security firm, I mean even I had trouble getting in, hmm does that make me arrogant? I don't like to think I’m arrogant but..."

"Felicity"

"Right, what I was trying to say was that I think they're working with someone else, most likely someone who works with all three of the security firms"

"Find out who it is"

"I have been trying to but whoever he is he's covered his tracks, I mean he's no Clock King but he's good"

"You're better, maybe if you spent less time enjoying yourself and more time on your work you'd know who it is by now"

Felicity tightened the bandage, his yelp of pain only slightly satisfying. "You're not the only one who has a right to have a life outside of this Oliver"

"Maybe not but I don't let it interfere with my job, if you can't handle both may be you should pick one"

"Maybe I will, John I'm going to big belly burger seeing as someone interrupted my meal would you like anything?" She didn't wait for an answer grabbing her purse and leaving. Oliver sighed to himself, he never said the right thing to her he never knew how to. Pulling on his hooded top he turned to find Diggle sitting at one of the desks with his arms folded in front of him, "if I remember correctly you were the one who sent her home Oliver"

"I sent her home not on a date"

"What's bothering you more that she hasn't found the mystery man behind the attacks or that she went on a date?"

"She had a job to do here"

"She also deserves a life, I have Lyla and you have Laurel, what did you think she'd spend the rest of her life behind that desk waiting for you?"

Diggle didn't wait for an answer he knew he would never give instead grabbing his jacket and following Felicity out.

The next day Oliver walked into the Foundry to find felicity already there, today in the short red dress she seemed to favour. Her headphones were in, dancing in her seat as she typed away at the screen. He smiled as she moved her head side to side, her hands accompanying her movements. Moving to stand behind her he tugged out one of the headphones startling her, she jumped slightly her hand on her chest trying to control her now fast paced heartbeat. "I'm sorry"

Scrutinising her she turned up her nose at him, turning to the screen, "For..."

"For getting angry with you"

"And..."

"Implying you weren't capable"

"And..." She was going to make him say it, he knew it, "and for ruining your date"

"Luckily for you, you didn't scare him off" no but he wished he had, after she had left he'd looked into David Coleman, he worked as a IT security consultant for a number of firms in Starling, his background was clean, so far anyway. Deciding it was best not to mention his activities or the fact he'd told Diggle he wanted him with her on their next date he asked her about their current problem, "Have you figured out who's behind it?"

"No but I do have an idea of how we might..." Intrigued he leant back against the desk, and folded his arms and listened.

"They're here" Diggle said sitting outside of one of the targeted houses.

Oliver and Felicity were inside of the Ace Security’s building, her tablet connected to their network with Oliver nearby as her guard. With Diggle’s comment Felicity worked through the system to prevent whoever was disarming the buildings from doing so, while doing this she tracked the one responsible. "He's here, on the fifth floor"

Needing no more encouragement Oliver left to find their mysterious hacker. Felicity smiled to herself as she easily blocked his access to the houses’ security systems.

Oliver reached the fifth floor, it was silent except for the slight hum of the air conditioners, "He's working from an office on the north west corner of the building. Be careful Oliver"

He moved through the rooms silently until he came to the office, he heard him tap away at his keyboard, swearing in frustration, it seemed his Felicity was winning this battle. "It's over, step away from the laptop" startled by his entrance, the young man banged his knees against the table as he looked up at him. An arrow was through his shoulder before he had a chance to grab the gun that sat on his desk. Oliver was tempted to hit him with another if he hadn't already lost consciousness from the first. He heard Felicity walk up behind him, before he could stop her she was in the room standing beside him looking down at the unconscious figure that yesterday had been her date. She said nothing as she walked out of the room.

"Detective lance arrested the men at the scene" Diggle informed them trying to fill the silence. Felicity sat at her usual place with Oliver close by watching her intently. Sensing their need to be alone, he bid them goodnight giving a pointed look at Oliver, telling him to fix this.

"Felicity..."

"Don't" she interrupted him "don't say I told you so please"

"I was going to say, there was no way you could have known"

"The first guy who shows interest in me ends up struck my lightening and the second turns out to be a criminal"

"Maybe you'll have more luck the third time" Oliver place a reassuring hand on her shoulder not liking the defeated look on her face. Turning away from her he went to where he usually worked on his arrows and pulled out a tub of chocolate mint and two spoons from a brown paper bag. Sitting down on the mats he patted the seat beside him. Smiling she sat down cross legged and took the spoon he offered.

"You'll find someone Felicity, someone who deserves you"

"Promise you won't try and scare him away?"

"No" she couldn't help but laugh, a fit of uncontrollable giggles taking over her, her smile was contagious, he found himself smiling along with her. As if just realising something, he watched her straighten and turn her inquisitive gaze on him, "aren't you supposed to meet laurel tonight?"

"I was but this vigilante business has a way of getting in the way"

"That I've noticed so does the vigilante himself" Oliver accepted the little stab at him, smiling as he devoured another spoonful. "On the bright side another win for team arrow" Felicity smiled, "don't call us that"

"Why not? It's catchy"

"That's not out name"

"I think we need a name"

"We don't need a name"

Diggle stood with the door slightly ajar listening to them bicker, he'd returned for his wallet, not wanting to disturb them he gently closed the door. He could live without his wallet for one day, smiling he made his way out of the Foundry and his way home, he had a pregnant wife to take care of.


	3. The team meets Ray Palmer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Diggle, Roy, Oliver and Lyla meet Felicity's plus one... Ray Palmer

Diggle sighed, releasing the tension he had had pent up from the moment he woke. Every second from the moment he opened his eyes to the moment he said I do was filled with anxiety, what if Amanda Waller called Lyla in, what is the city needed him or Oliver? But the wedding went off without a hitch, with Oliver by his side, and Felicity with Sara in her arms by Lyla’s.

Now they stood in Verdant – Thea had offered to host their reception – with family and friends surrounding them. They hadn’t invited a lot of people but the ones that mattered were with them. Even Barry had popped in to offer his congratulations. He stood with Oliver by the bar, watching Mrs Lyla Diggle laughing with her friends from Argus, as Roy who was acting as bartender handed them both a drink and taking one for himself. They were in the middle of a toast when he saw Oliver tense, his joy dimming slightly, turning he found himself face to face with Ray Palmer, Felicity’s plus one.

“Congratulations”, he smiled holding out his hand, Dig shook the man’s hand nodding in answer. “Your dating Felicity” it wasn’t a question but he watched Ray fluster none the less, especially with Oliver and Roy watching him, though Roy didn’t usually give off the natural sense of danger Oliver and Diggle did, there was a look in his eyes that promised pain. Ray didn’t usually feel nervous, he was a genius and a billionaire after all, but his survival instincts told him he should be very afraid. “No… yes… I mean no… we haven’t talked about it”

“So you’re just sleeping with her.” Roy put down the bottle he was holding a little too hard. “No, I mean yes, I mean there’s no _just_ sleeping with Felicity Smoak” he gave them a nervous laugh. “What’s going on here?” he felt a moment of relief when Lyla, Diggle’s wife for the second time came to stand by her husband with their daughter in hand. “Just offering my congratulations on your marriage”

“Thank you, so you’re Ray Palmer”

“Yes”

“You’re dating Felicity?” If he had expected a reprise from the inquisition he had been wrong. “Look what happens between Felicity and I is between us, I appreciate you’re her friends but…”

“You’re right what happens between the two of you, is your own business,” Diggle said, interrupting him. “But if you hurt her, it becomes _our_ business.”

“If you hurt her, we will find you” Roy said.

“No amount of money will hide or protect you,” Lyla added, a sweet smile on her face as she softly rocked her daughter back and forth. “When we’re done you will wish you had never hurt Felicity Smoak.” Oliver said, speaking for the first time.

“She’s one of us, and we protect our own” Ray swung his head back to Diggle, “I…”

“What’s going on?” they all turned to find Felicity standing just behind him, looking as gorgeous as usual in a beautiful red dress, one that reminded Oliver of both the best and worst night of his life.

She had two glasses of champagne in her hands, handing one to Ray she sipped the other. Though the question was for all of them, her eyes were on Oliver. Diggle answered before he had a chance to speak, giving her a far too innocent smile, “Nothing, Palmer was just congratulating us on our nuptials, isn’t that right?”

Felicity watched Ray nod quickly, his eyes darting from Dig, to Oliver, to Roy and to Lyla. Before she had a chance to question them, Lyla was handing her Sara and dragging Dig to the dance floor while Roy poured himself and Oliver another drink. 


	4. Oliver, Felicity and a ... Wedding

Oliver stood just beside Diggle, pulling at his collar; it had been a long time since he was required to dress so formally. But his small discomfort was worth the sheer joy on his best friend’s face. There was no doubt, no insecurity, only joy, joy that transferred to complete awe when his eyes landed on Lyla, who walked down the aisle just behind Felicity and Sara who were playing the part of both flower girl and bridesmaid. But just as Diggle’s eyes were fixed on Lyla, his were fixed on Felicity. She always did look beautiful in red.

Felicity tried not to stare, but she couldn’t help it, no matter how much she tried her eyes continued to return to the same man. It just wasn’t fair, the man look handsome in anything. She had never been a suspenders kind of woman but seeing Oliver Queen in them induced fantasies she had no right in imagining, not when she came with another man. Especially not when said man was sitting in the audience smiling at her.

Ray sat amongst strangers, but the small discomfort was worth seeing Felicity in that dress. She looked absolutely radiant. But even though his eyes were on hers, hers weren’t on either him or the couple but Oliver Queen who stood as Mr. Diggle’s best man. With each vow that was spoken their eyes didn’t leave the each others. Their gaze did not waver. He saw longing in Oliver Queen’s eyes, love and sadness, but he wasn’t alone, behind Felicity’s smile he saw the same love, the same sadness and the same longing.

Oliver should have been paying attention to the ceremony, but his eyes were fixed on the woman in red, the spark in her eyes, and the sheer happiness on her face as she cheered with the rest of the crowd when their friends were pronounced husband and wife. As much as he loved seeing her in red he had a sudden urge to see her in white.

*

When the reception was finally over, they all stood outside Verdant, with Diggle and Lyla ready to depart. Sara would be staying with Felicity until the two returned from their honeymoon with Argus agents on call to babysit if any vigilante business required her attention.

Oliver watched Felicity take her place between Laurel and Thea as they with the other women stood waiting for Lyla to toss the bouquet. He wasn’t sure what she saw when she looked up at him with the bouquet in her hands but he saw the sadness and unspoken dreams behind the smile she faked. He watched Thea and Laurel clap along with the others but Diggle didn’t look at Felicity, he looked up at him. If he had been standing next to him, he had no doubt he would have departed some sage advice.

Once Diggle and Lyla were off, he blended into the shadows and watched the woman he loved but could never be with walk away with another man.


	5. I will always choose you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ray or Oliver?

**I will always choose you.**

If things continued the way that they did she didn’t think Oliver would allow her to leave the foundry ever again. He and Ray had been out on patrol when she decided to go out on her own. They had been struggling with a case when she had gotten the brilliant yet foolish idea of going to the office of their number one suspect.

She’d gone in as an IT assistant; there to fix their computers, it seemed someone had uploaded a virus to their system, if asked she would be pleading the 5th on that one. Everything had been going well until said suspect had found her snooping. She’d run from his men but it wouldn’t be long before they found her.

She was currently hiding beneath a conference room, jumping at every sound in the shadows and Oliver on the phone. “Can we please not do this now?” she hissed, trying to make as little noise as possible. “Where are you?”

“20th floor, conference room”

“We’ll be there in 5, hold on.”

“We?”

“Yes we,” she could have cursed when she heard Ray’s voice, he did not sound pleased, but really what boyfriend would be when his girlfriend got herself into trouble. “You are in so much trouble,” she really did curse when she heard Roy’s laughter and sure enough Diggle gave a little confirmative.

“Felicity talk to me”

“I’ve hacked into the video feed, there are four men on the floor I’m on, six below and three above.”

“Dig you got eyes on the three, Roy and Laurel the six, Ray you’re with me.”

“I don’t answer to you Queen”

“You do tonight Palmer”

They didn’t come in quiet, she watched the windows shatter as Oliver and Ray made their grand entrance on the opposite side on the floor, luring the men closing in on her away. She watched them on the feed, quickly dispatching the enemy’s men. Oliver took care of the four closest to her, while Ray tried taking care of the final two.

“Guys we have a problem”

“What?” Oliver demanded, not missing a beat as he put the man he was fighting down. “Mr Canes has called in the cavalry; a dozen armed men just entered the building.”

“Roy, Laurel, get out now.”

“I’ll cover you.” Dig said, turning his attention on Roy and Laurel, making sure they weren’t pursued, his favourite rifle in hand just in case he needed to take out a few knee caps.

“Felicity!” she did not hear him over the coms, instead she found a furious Oliver looming over her, as she crawled out from under the desk. She straightened her clothes, with her chin held high; she wouldn’t let him cower her, though she was old enough to know when she was in the wrong. “Let’s go.”

Ray stood at the doorway, as they approached he backed away from their exit, closing the door, “Yhe I don’t think we’ll be finding our exit that way, there are more men than even my suit or your arrows could take out.”

“The window” Ray stepped forward, blowing out the windows, cold air rushed in, her skirts flapping dangerously high, she was seriously considering changing to trousers as daily wear. Ray stood on one side of the new opening, Oliver on the other, their rope to safety already in place. Both men held out their hand, “Let’s go Felicity.”

For a moment she stood frozen, not knowing which hand to take. But the sound of bullet and the door separating her and a dozen men who wanted to kill her crashing open she leapt forward. Her eyes remained closed as she sailed through the air, holding on for dear life, her head resting against Oliver’s soft leather suit. She tried not to think about Oliver’s arm around her waist. Or the fact that he held on to her a little longer once they landed. And she definitely was not thinking about the look on his face when Ray pulled her away from him, checking to see if she were hurt.

*

“Hey you gonna work all night?” Felicity said, leaning against the doorframe as she watched Ray tinker with his gadgets. When he didn’t say anything she stepped forward but the look on his face stopped her. “I told you I loved you and you offered me food.”

“I…”

“Tonight when you jumped out of a window… you trusted Oliver… you choose him.”

“Ray… I didn’t choose him… there were guns going off, a door being kicked in… instinct…”

“Instinct told you to trust Oliver, I get it he’s your… friend, you trust him, you know him… you love him”

“I…” she didn’t know what to say, she considered denying it but deep down she knew it was the truth, the realisation stopping the denial on the tip of her tongue. “Felicity Smoak, speechless, who would have thought?”

“I’m sorry”

“We can’t control how we feel right?” He didn’t wait for an answer, turning back to his work. Felicity picked up her coat and bag, quietly closing the door behind her.


	6. Wedding Vows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver and Felicity's wedding vows to one another.

He had been through so much these past eight years, from being ship wrecked on Lian Yu and meeting Slade and loosing Sara to fighting for his life and the lives of everyone he loved from Ra’s al Ghul and the League of Assassins. But nothing terrified him as much as what he was about to do. He was about to marry Felicity Meghan Smoak.

He wasn’t afraid of commitment or marriage itself, he loved this woman and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. What he was afraid of was what marrying him would mean to her. He was terrified he was dooming this remarkable, bright light to an eternity of darkness with him. But most of all he was afraid she would wake up one day and regret the day she had ever met him.

But all his doubts and all his fears were swept away by the sight of her. He could hear Roy laughing behind him, no doubt at the sight of his faint state. But the vision in white was like a punch to the gut, breathtaking and mind blowing. She looked beautiful in her simple pure white gown, her hair up in complicated braids, definitely Thea’s doing. But despite how beautiful she looked in the dress, he couldn’t wait to see her out of it.

She walked down the aisle on Diggle’s arm who had insisted on giving here away, followed by Laurel, Thea and Lyla who stood as her bridesmaids. When she was standing in front of him and Dig was by his side, everyone faded into the background.

“For a long time I lived with the belief that I could never be with someone I loved, that I was destined to be alone. For so long I lived in the darkness, alone with all the sins I had committed with the belief that I could never be forgiven, that I didn’t deserve to be happy. But then you came into my life, this pure, brilliant light that made me smile and laugh. Who gave me hope, who believed in me when everyone including myself lost their faith in me. Who challenged me, to be a better man, a better brother and a better friend.

I cannot tell you the moment I fell in love with you Felicity Meghan Smoak, because I fall in love with you every day, every moment I spend with you. You are my light. You are my home. You are my friend. You are my love. You are everything I hold dear and without you there is no me.

I promise to love you, care for you and protect you, for as long as I shall live.”

He saw the glint of a tear in her eyes as he slipped the simple band on her finger, an arrow and the word _yours_ engraved inside.

“My entire life I have been afraid of losing the people that I love, and I have lost you more than most. But I am not afraid of losing you because I have lost you to death and to the darkness, but despite everything and everyone who has tried to pull us apart, you’ve always found your way back to me.

The moment you walked into my life, you changed it. You taught me what it meant to be brave, to fight for what I believed in and most of all you taught me how to love.

I do not know what our future holds, but I do know that there is nothing I cannot face with you by my side. Oliver Jonas Queen I love each and every part of you, the light and the dark, the good and the bad. I love who you were, who you are and who you will be. I believe in you, I have faith in you. I trust you. I promise to fill your life with the light and happiness you deserve. I promise to stand by you and most of all I promise to love you.”

Her hands shook slightly as she slipped a ring similar to hers onto his finger, his with the word _forever,_ engraved inside. Oliver didn’t wait for the minister to declare them man and wife, he pulled her close, covering her lips with his. He whispered I love you against her lips before pulling away ever so slightly.

“Shall we, Mrs Queen?” he asked, holding out his arm. “Yes, Mr Queen” she said, smiling up at him, a slight tinge of red colouring her cheeks.


	7. Felicity and Al Sah-Him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felicity meets Al Sah-Him

Felicity knelt before Oliver, who had a sword held steady against her heart. Ra’s stood on his right and Maseo to his left, but her attention was on Oliver and only Oliver. “Kill her Al Sah-him” Ra’s ordered. Oliver did not falter, he did not question, he drew back his sword no doubt intending to bury it in her chest but her words stopped him.

“Aren’t you supposed to offer me a chance to say my last words or something? I mean in the movies the bad guy always gives the person they’re about to kill…” She could have sworn she saw Ra’s smile, but Oliver didn’t even twitch. No rolling of the eyes or his small smile when she started babbling. Nothing.

“Very well, speak your final words” Ra’s said with a wave of his hands before they returned to their neutral place linked behind his back.

“Oliver…”

“Al Sah-Him” his words were like a dagger to the heart, but she refused to give in to the fear and pain. Instead she held her head high, she hadn’t cowered all these years of working with him, she wouldn’t cower now.

“There are two things I need to tell you before you kill me. One, I forgive you. I need you to know that... When you finally free yourself from him, and you realise what you have done and what you are doing I need you to know that I don’t blame you and that I forgive. And that the last thing I would ever want is for you to live the rest of your life with that guilt on your shoulders. I forgive you Oliver Queen-“

“AL SAH-HIM!”

“- and the second thing, I love you. I love you as the hood, the arrow, Oliver Queen and god-help-me as Al Sah-Him. I know it took me a while to say those three words but I felt them for so long, but I was afraid to tell you. But I’m not afraid now. I. Love. You. And I don’t regret a single moment of it.” A single tear escaped when she closed her eyes, ready for what was to come.

He heard Ra’s command, his arm raising again of its own violation. It was as if he were merely a passenger in his body as the moment built for the kill. Just as the blade swung forward his arm froze before his blade cluttered to the ground, his hands on his head as flashes of pain assaulted his mind.

With each burst of pain he saw images… no not images memories. Felicity looking at his picture taking to herself… Felicity chewing on a red pen… Felicity waiting for him in a red dress… Felicity in trouble…Felicity smiling… laughing… crying… shouting. Felicity Smoak the woman he loved, every moment, every memory flooding into his mind, consuming him, reminding him, who he was, who he is and who he wanted to be. “Felicity…” Her name like a prayer on his lips as he reached towards her. “Felicity…”


	8. Porsches and sunsets

Oliver watched Diggle walk away, he had killed again, watched his city pay for his choices and yet it was the sight of his best friend, his brother walking away that hurt the most. He had known in theory the moment he had taken Lyla things between them would change. But in reality it was so much worst, he’d lost his best friend once when Tommy died, but this time he had lost his best friend and brother, a man who knew him better than almost anyone. Sure he’d loved Tommy and he had been like a brother to him, but Tommy hadn’t really known him, not since he returned.

Oliver felt Felicity ease over to him, her hand lacing with his, she did not say a word, and she didn’t have to. She better than anyone knew what Diggle’s friendship meant to him. As he watched Diggle climb into the ARGUS car that would take him back to his family Oliver turned to Felicity, “Do you think he’ll ever forgive me?”

Felicity squeezed his hand ever so slightly, the pain evident in his voice, “Eventually… Give him time, what you did… as a soldier he understands, but as a husband, father and best friend he needs time to forgive you.”

“What about you? Will you ever forgive me?”

“I understand why you did what you did.”

“That wasn’t an answer”

“Why don’t we take it one day at a time” Oliver turned to face her, his hand now cradling her cheek, his thumb skimming over her bottom lip as she leaned into his touch. “How about we start today…” He turned her towards the Porsche, the keys dangling from his finger as he raised his eyebrow in question. “Are you asking me to run away with you Mr Queen?” she asked, her head tilting ever so slightly to the left, a hint of a smile on her face.

“What if I am Ms Smoak?”

“Then I would say I would love to run away with you Mr Queen.” Felicity watched his smile turn into a full blown grin as he opened the car door for her. When he was in the driver’s seat, the engine revving, she realised she had forgotten to ask a very important question. “Where did you get a Porsche?”

Rather than answering he gave her his trademark cryptic look, placing his hand over hers before driving out onto the open road. Usually she would have bombarded him with endless questions, but just this once she leaned back, enjoying the ride as she drove off with Oliver Queen into the sunset… at least for now.


End file.
